Call and Answer
by Melmm
Summary: Mild HD slash. Draco crashes his broom in the Forbidden forest, Harry goes to find him. Oh my god, it's a miracle! CHAPTER 6 IS UP!
1. I'll pick you up

Summary: Draco/Harry slash. I've tried to avoid the "Draco and Harry put aside all their mutual hate because they've realized they're soulmates" thing, but I think all slash fics with them have a bit of them. Anyway, I think they make a damn cute couple, and I don't care if it's unrealistic. Pretty pretty please review! This is my first HP fic, and I usually write really goofy X-Men sillyfic, so go easy on me. Oh, and here's me putting down my own work: I think the slashy part is seriously rushed. I think you'll agree. The title, by the way, is from a song by my favorite band, the Barenaked Ladies. The story has nothing to with the song, except the line, "If you fall, I'll pick you up." And if you see any §'s, ignore 'em. It's my computer's fault. I tried to fix them but may have missed some.  
  
Disclaimer: They ain't mine.  
  
~*~*~*~  
  
Call and Answer  
  
~*~*~*~  
  
Outside, the rain was falling heavily, and every so often, a flash of lightning would light up the quickly darkening sky. But from where Harry stood at the window, he could make out the Quidditch field, and a team was still practicing on it, though he couldn't tell which one. He thought he saw a flash of green robe-probably the Slytherins. He squinted his eyes, trying to get a better look through the rain, but the team suddenly came together and hurried off the field, the practice over.  
  
~*~*~*~  
  
The practice had ended and the Slytherin team had made their way to the locker room-all but one. Draco Malfoy hovered several feet over the field. There was really no reason to go in yet-no one would miss him. Not that there was anything better to do out here. He absentmindedly flew around the field a few times, and, hardly able to see through the rain, ended up soaring over the grounds without ever realizing it. ~I really should head in~ he thought. It was almost completely dark now, and the rain was falling even harder, if it was possible. In addition to making it almost impossible to see where he was going, the handle of his Nimbus 2001 was getting very slippery. He turned quickly to go back to the castle, but it was much farther away than it should have been. He had just enough time to see that he was flying over the Forbidden Forest before his hands slipped from the broom and he was plunging into it.  
  
The tree branches stung Draco's skin as he crashed through them, but it was nothing compared to the pain that came when he hit the ground, hard. His leg twisted under him, and something cut into his back. For a moment he was sure he was dead, but no, there was far too much pain. There was a howl in the distance, and he suddenly remembered where he was. ~I *will* be dead if I don't get out of this forest~ He tried to get to his feet, but his body refused to respond. He tried again, managed to get almost into a sitting position, and a sharp pain like nothing he had ever felt before shot through his right leg. Draco fell back on the hard ground, utterly defeated.  
  
~*~*~*~  
  
Harry had been sitting at the window ever since the practice had ended, and had decided that his initial suspicion had been correct. It *was* Malfoy out there acting like an idiot. He watched what was now a small speck zooming around the grounds. He obviously couldn't see where he was going-he was over the forest now. Harry briefly considered getting out the Firebolt and going after him, but no, if Malfoy wanted to get himself killed, then-  
  
Suddenly, the speck became two specks, and one of them dropped into the forest as the other flew in a wide circle before crashing to the ground. It took Harry only an instant to realize what had happened before he was grabbing his invisibility cloak and racing down the stairs.  
  
~*~*~*~  
  
Draco no longer knew what time it was, if he was awake or asleep, alive or dead. He didn't think he had been lying there that long, but it was hard to tell, especially since he kept drifting in and out of consciousness. What he did know was that the sky was black now, he was freezing cold, and soaking wet. Not much rain got through the trees, and now that he was out of the rain, he had realized how wet he really was. He was still unable to move, and he thought he heard someone calling him. But he knew that he was dreaming again, or else it was wishful thinking.  
  
"Malfoy!"  
  
Draco jumped, or the closest that one can come to jumping while lying on one'§ back. The voice had been very close, and very real. He tried to call, "Over here!" but his voice had failed him now too, for what came out was a croak. It seemed to be enough. He heard footsteps crunching over the ground, moving toward him. Then the steps stopped, and the last person he wanted to see appeared.  
  
Harry Potter was standing over him, a concerned expression on his face. He was out of breath and had obviously been running.  
  
"Malfoy-" he gasped, "you all right?" Then he noticed Draco's leg, twisted under him at an unnatural angle. "Can you walk?"  
  
Draco certainly didn't want to admit that he couldn't even move, didn't want to be reliant upon Harry, but he appeared to have no choice. Without his help, he would be stuck here, possibly for hours, and that was *if* he could convince Potter to leave him alone, which didn't seem likely.  
  
"Do you really think I'd be lying here in the middle of the forest if I could walk?" he snarled, his voice returning, but still hoarse.  
  
The look of concern turned to anger.  
  
"Look, Malfoy, I'm only trying to help. You don't have to be an ass about everything. Now come on, someone'§ going to be wondering where we are." He easily lifted Draco to his feet and put an arm around his waist to help support him. Draco found himself suddenly feeling remorse. He knew Harry was just trying to help, but he didn't like showing weakness in front of the other boy.  
  
"I'm.sorry."  
  
Harry looked surprised. "For what?"  
  
"For-"he coughed, "for snapping at you."  
  
If he had been surprised before, Harry was now shocked. "Uh.it'§ okay," he said, looking around. "By the way, do you have *any* idea where we are?"  
  
Draco took a look around himself. They were surrounded by trees on every side. "No." he said slowly, fear rising in his chest. If weakness was the thing he hated most, fear came in a very close second.  
  
"Look," Harry was saying, "if we just start walking in a straight line, we'll eventually find the way out of here." Draco nodded in agreement, and the two slowly set off. They walked, or, in Draco'§ case, limped, in silence for several minutes. Occasionally one or both of them would jump at a noise in the forest around them-twigs snapping, or something that sounded like a large animal running through the trees. Once Draco thought he heard something growl, but blamed it on his imagination. It seemed better than the other option.  
  
Suddenly, there was a long, low howl that sounded like it had come from only inches away. Harry and Draco both heard it, and they knew they hadn't imagined it this time.  
  
"Y-you think any of those stories about werewolves in here are true?" Draco asked, trying unsuccessfully to keep his voice from shaking.  
  
"Let'§ not find out," Harry replied, and before either of them could think, he had lifted Draco into his arms and was hurrying away from the direction the howl had come from. "Good thing you're light," he muttered.  
  
Draco found himself gazing into two pools of deep green. ~That'§ corny~ he thought, the instant that thought popped into his head. ~But it's true. I could drown in his eyes~ He felt secure in the other boy's arms, and looking up into his face, had a sudden impulse to kiss him. Honestly, it wasn't the first time he had thought those things, though it was the first time he had allowed himself to think them. Thinking about it now, he realized that he had been in love with Harry Potter from the day they had met, but had pushed his feelings away. For one thing, how could he be in love with someone he barely knew? And anyway, he knew that Harry didn't feel the same way about him.  
  
Or did he?  
  
He realized now that he didn't *know* how Harry felt. He had *assumed.*  
  
And now it seemed almost possible to him that the other boy might actually care about him in the same way. In any case, he had to find out. After all, what was the worst that could happen? Harry would think he was crazy, he would look like a complete idiot, but it was a bit late for that anyway.  
  
"Harry?"  
  
~*~*~*~  
  
From the author: Okay, I am so sorry to stop here! But my handwritten version (which is what I'm typing this up from) only goes on for about half a page more, and it ends right in the middle of this conversation, so I thought it would be better to wait until I finish that part. But I couldn't wait to put up the first part. I want reviews! 


	2. Look! Some actual slash!

Yaay, it'§ chapter 2! I *never* thought I would break a fic into chapters- it annoys me so much when people do that, but here it is. Not that it did any good, no one reviewed the first part. Anyway, I'll probably finish it here. Note on the 12th paragraph: Way to dance around the subject! I couldn't figure out how to describe the kiss in a way that sounded good, like I said, I'm a sillyfic writer! I'm not good at this stuff!  
  
~*~*~*~  
  
Call And Answer-Chapter 2  
  
~*~*~*~  
  
"Harry?"  
  
"Yeah?" Harry looked down at him, and suddenly Draco realized how stupid he was being. ~He doesn't care, he hates me, he'§ only helping me because he didn't want to be blamed for me being werewolf chow~  
  
"What were you doing in the forest, anyway?" ~Nice save, Malfoy~ he thought to himself.  
  
"I was looking for you. I saw you fall."  
  
It took Draco a moment to digest this fact.  
  
"You.you came in here to find me?"  
  
"Yeah-don't look so surprised," Harry said, noticing the shocked look on Draco'§ face.  
  
"But.I thought you hated me-"  
  
"I don't hate you, Draco. In fact." he fell silent.  
  
"What?" Draco asked eagerly. Had Harry been about to say what he *thought*?  
  
"Oh.um, nothing, really, I shouldn't have said anything." He looked away, and it was in that moment that Draco made the decision. He could be completely wrong, but he didn't think so, and having Harry think he was completely insane was better than never knowing how he really felt.  
  
It was a very awkward kiss, with Harry trying to hold Draco and kiss him at the same time, but it lasted several minutes, growing more and more passionate until.  
  
Harry pulled away.  
  
"This isn't-" he gasped, "such a great idea."  
  
Draco's face fell.  
  
"I-I knew I shouldn't have.I mean.but I though.you kissed me back and." he realized that he was babbling and promptly shut his mouth before he could make more of a fool of himself.  
  
"No, I just meant," Harry grinned, "I'm going to drop you. Shall we continue this on the ground?"  
  
A relieved smile lit up Draco'§ face.  
  
"Yeah, sounds good. But shouldn't we be getting back?"  
  
"Do you realize how long we've been out here? If anyone's going to notice we're missing, they already have, and it'll probably be morning by the time we find our way back anyway."  
  
With that he carefully set Draco sown on the ground, lowered himself down beside him, their mouths met, and their only thoughts were of each other.  
  
~*~*~*~  
  
Draco awoke to bright sunlight. ~What the.~ He opened his eyes, squinting, and glanced around the best he could. Trees.the forest.he had crashed in the forest. And had very strange dreams. He could remember very clearly dreaming about Harry Potter.it had seemed so real. ~Damn~ he thought, pushing himself carefully into a sitting position, his back against a tree. ~I must have been really out of it~ Then he blinked again. Surely his eyes were playing tricks on him, but no, there was Harry Potter sleeping on the ground next to him. ~Then.it was real?~  
  
He leaned over a bit to shake Harry awake.  
  
"Mm?"  
  
"Harry-Harry, wake up, it'§ morning, and we've got to get back-"  
  
"Right." Harry was suddenly wide awake. "Come on, everyone'§ probably really worried." He got to his feet, then bent back down to pick Draco up.  
  
"No, you'd better just help me up, it would look a bit strange, you carrying me."  
  
"Right." Harry nodded in agreement and helped Draco to his feet. Slowly they made their way back to the castle together.  
  
~*~*~*~  
  
From the author: Okay, okay, I lied! I've decided I want the ending separate. I'll put it up as soon as I get it written. REVIEW, DAMN YOU! 


	3. Midnight Meeting

Ooh, lookie, a third chapter. For someone who hates fics that are broken into chapters, I've sure got enough of 'em, huh? (Chapters that is, not fics.) Je suis hypocrite. Wow, guess French class paid off. Anyway, this is the last one. I think.  
  
Notes to a couple people who reviewed:  
  
Coolinb-no, I'm not a Barenaked Ladies fan. I just said in the introduction that they're my favorite band. ^_^  
  
Cindy (Guess Who)-That anything like You-Know-Who?  
  
A note on the note: It's supposed to be whichever tower they have Divination in. I forgot which one it was, so I guessed :)  
  
~*~*~*~  
  
Call And Answer-Chapter 3  
  
~*~*~*~  
  
It had been several days since the incident in the forest. Things were, for the most part, back to normal in both Draco's and Harry's lives. Madam Pomfrey had been able to fix Draco up quite easily, and he had spent a very short time in the hospital wing. Everyone had been eager to hear what had happened, exactly, since they had both been missed overnight. They had told everyone the truth, with a few details left out. There was a sort of tacit agreement between them that neither one would mention those details, under penalty of death.  
  
The only real difference was that Draco and Harry were now avoiding each other like the plague, not quite sure how to act around each other. Neither one could bring themselves to be their usual hateful selves, but their friends would be a bit suspicious, to say the least, if they suddenly began acting friendly toward each other. So they stayed away from each other.  
  
Harry, however, was beginning to think there was another reason Draco was avoiding him. He had a feeling the other boy was still trying to figure out what to do about what had happened when they were together in the forest. Harry had been wondering about it himself. He knew there was a very good chance it would never go any farther between them. But, he had decided, if that was the case, it would be nice at least to know it. He decided the moment he could find Draco without either of their friends around, they were going to have a serious discussion about this.  
  
The problem was, between Ron, Hermione, Crabbe, Goyle, and Pansy Parkinson, who was now hanging all over Draco even more so than usual, it was nearly impossible to catch Draco alone without any of them around. And even if they had managed to run into each other without their friends around somehow, finding a place to talk in private would have been next to impossible as well. Finally Harry gave up the idea of trying to catch Draco alone. They were sitting in Potions, supposedly taking notes. Harry pulled out a blank piece of parchment and hurriedly scribbled,  
  
Draco,  
  
Meet me tonight at midnight in the North tower. We need to talk.  
  
1 Harry  
  
He carefully folded the parchment into a neat square, and made sure to be the first one up when the bell rang so that he could drop the note in Draco's lap as he walked out. Then there was nothing to do but wait, and hope that Draco would show up.  
  
~*~*~*~  
  
Harry leaned against the wall in the North Tower, gazing out the window into the blackness. His watch read 12:17, and he was beginning to think Draco wasn't going to show. Then he heard steps on the stairs, and Draco's head came into view, followed by the rest of him. He was breathing hard.  
  
"Why did you ask me to meet you all the way up here?"  
  
"Less people around that could hear us," Harry replied. "The only person up here at this time of night is Professor Trelawney, and she should be asleep."  
  
"So," said Draco, leaning against the windowsill, already knowing the answer to his question, "what did you want to talk to me about?"  
  
"About...well, what happened the other nght."  
  
Draco waited.  
  
"I just wanted you to know, that, well, it was kind of a weird situation, and we were both a little out of it, I think, and, well, what I'm trying to say is, of course it was just a one-time thing, just something that happened in the heat of the moment, or whatever, and I just wanted you to know, I don't expect it to go any farther than that..."  
  
Draco had tuned out Harry's babbling by this point. He should have known it was too good to be true. He could feel tears building up behind his eyes, and he wanted to get away from here before they could fall. He had shown his emotions to Harry once before, and it had gotten him nowhere. He would not make that mistake again. Harry was still going on. Draco briefly considered simply running off, back down the stairs to the Slytherin dorms, but no, Harry would surely follow him. Suddenly, one sentence drew his attention back to what Harry was saying.  
  
"-that is, unless you want this to become something more. I mean, it's all up to you..."  
  
Here Harry trailed off at last, looking at him expectantly. Draco wasn't sure he'd heard correctly, but what else could he have said. He opened his mouth and closed it again a couple of times, no words coming to mind. Then he did the only thing he could think of. He flung himself into Harry's arms, sobbing.  
  
It was the last thing Harry had expected, and, unsure of what to do, he simply held Draco against him, stroking his beautiful, silver-blond hair.  
  
"What's wrong?" he asked at last.  
  
Draco looked up, tears still glistening on his cheeks.  
  
"I thought...you didn't want to be with me. I thought you wanted it to be a one-time only thing, like you said. I mean, I never would have expected..."  
  
"That I would want you the same way you want me? That...I would...love you?"  
  
Now Draco was sure he had heard wrong. "Wha...you...I..." he realized he was babbling like an idiot. Harry realized it too, and shut him up with a passionate kiss.  
  
"I love you," he repeated, holding Draco close to him.  
  
"I love you, too," Draco whispered.  
  
~*~*~*~  
  
From the author: Wow, that was certainly sappy! I don't know where half of that came from. I am *not* a sappy person at all! Maybe I've been possessed by my friend Misty ("Silly!""Sappy!""Silly!""Sappy!" Lol, long story.). As for the chapters, I lied again! There's gonna be at least one more chapter, in which they come out of the closet, or something (I happen to hate that term. I'm not sure why. Besides the fact that it reminds me of Lorien's "Coming Out of the Closet" which I am unable to think of without cracking up. You should really read it.) And if you're wondering why Draco is so damn insecure in this fic, it's because I like him that way. I know it's a bit out of character, but hey, no one acts like themselves when they're in love. He will continue being insecure in the next chapter. Well. Review! 


	4. Confessions (and the beginning of a disa...

Hey, look, it's chapter 4! Hopefully the last chapter. Especially since I promised my friend   
I would let him read this tomorrow. Not that I had much choice, he was holding my   
favorite lipstick hostage. Well, here ya go!   
  
Oh, by the way, Morien Alexander asked, "What exactly happened in the forest? Did they   
just kiss or go at it like horny rabbits?" Haha, good question. Feel free to think whatever   
you want about it, I'm not sure myself. But I suck at writing sex scenes (not bad at acting   
them out though... *wink* Kay, that was probably more information than you needed.),   
which is why this remains *mild* slash. So think what you want in your own twisted little   
mind.   
  
Hey, guess what! This chapter's been completely rewritten. And the story will continue,   
although it's going to go off in a completely different direction. Blame John. It's all John's   
fault. Shut up, John.   
Oh, and if there's spelling errors or weird line breaks, it's because I'm on someone else's   
computer, the keyboard is weird, and it has Publisher instead of Word. Ick. And,   
technically, that's also John's fault.   
~*~*~*~   
Call and Answer-Chapter 4   
~*~*~*~   
Harry awoke with a smile on his lips, despite the fact that he had gotten less than   
two hours of sleep. After all, what he had been doing all night was well worth missing   
some sleep for. He closed his eyes, reenacting the events of the night in his mind.   
"Harry? Harry! HARRY!"   
A sneaker came crashing through the hangings on his bed, interrupting his   
daydream. "Come on, get *up*" said Ron's voice. "It's seven thirty, we're late for   
breakfast."   
"All right, all right, I'm up," Harry mumbled, reluctantly forcing his mind to return   
to reality. He stood up and attempted to smooth the wrinkles from his robe. He had gotten   
back to the dormitory sometime around six a.m. and had fallen into bed, clothes, shoes   
and all. Ron, of course, noticed this immediately, reminding him that Harry had not been in   
the dormitory when Ron had gone to bed.   
"Where were you last night?" he asked, dragging Harry toward the door. "Forget   
the robe, it's hopeless."   
"If I told you," Harry replied cheerfully, deciding Ron was right about his robe, "I   
would have to kill you."   
"Told him what?" asked Hermione, who was waiting for them in the common   
room.   
"Why Harry didn't come to bed last night," Ron explained.   
"I *did*" Harry protested, "just not until late. And I'm not sure if I cantell you   
yet." He and Draco had not discussed telling anyone else about their relationship.   
"Oh, come *on*" Ron pestered as they walked to the Great Hall.   
"Trust me, you really don't want to know anyway."   
"Yes, I do," Ron argued, and spent the rest of the walk trying to convince Harry to   
tell where he had been as Hermione looked on in amusement.   
When they walked into the Great Hall, Harry immediately noiced an empty seat   
between Crabbe and Goyle. Apparently Draco had also been a bit slow, and his friends had   
not been nice enough to wait for him. They didn't seem to miss him to much, either, but   
they might just have been too busy stuffing their faces with food.   
"I'll be right back," Harry said to his friends. "Go ahead and save me a seat." He   
hurried back down the hall to the Slytherin dormitories. Leaning against the wall, he   
waited for the portrait to open.   
He didn't have to wait long. The portrait swung open and Draco stepped out,   
looking very hurried. He didn't even notice Harry standing there until Harry grabbed his   
shoulder, spun him around, and kissed him.   
"Morning," Harry said brightly as they pulled away from the brief kiss.   
"Morning," Draco replied. "What are you doing here? Not that I'm not glad to see   
you."   
"I came to talk to you. Ron and Hermione want to know where I was last night."   
"What did you tell them?"   
"I haven't told them anything yet. I wanted to talk to you first."   
"Tell them whatever you want."   
"You don't want to tella nyone about us, then?"   
"You do?"   
"It would certainly make things easier. We wouldn't have to sneak off somewhere   
to be together."   
Draco was a bit surprised. "Go ahead and tell them then. I just assumed that you   
would want to keep this a secret. They're going to think, you've gone crazy, you know."   
"Who cares what they think? Even if they do, they'll get over it. I thought *you*   
might want to keep it a secret. Didn't want to ruin your reputation or anything.   
Draco laughed hollowly. "Please. My so-called friends probably wouldn't even   
notice. They didn't say anything about me not being around last night, and now it seems   
they've left me to walk to breakfast alone."   
"I noticed. Come on, let's go before all the food is gone," Harry said, taking   
Draco's hand as they walked back to the Great Hall together.   
~*~*~*~   
Harry had been gone for over ten minutes, and his friends were beginning to   
wonder where he had disappeared to when he and Draco walked in. Ron nudged   
Hermione, who looked up from the book she was reading.   
"What is *up* with Harry and Malfoy?" he asked. Their hands were hidden from   
view, but even from accross the room it was obvious that theyw were talking, and seeming   
quite friendly toward one another.   
"Well, Harry *did* save Draco's skin just a couple weeks ago," Hermione   
reminded him. "Maybe Draco's decided to be a bit nicer to him."   
"Yeah, maybe," Ron muttered suspiciously as Draco went over to the Slytherin   
table and Harry came to sit with them.   
"Okay," he said, taking a seat. "I can tell-"   
"Since when are you so friendly with Malfoy?" Ron interrupted.   
"Well," Harry replied, "that's part of what I have to tell you. Actually, that *is*   
what I have to tell you."   
Ron now looked thoroughly confused. "What are you *talking* about?"   
"Well, um..." Harry tried for a moment to think of the best way to say this, then   
realized there really was no good way. "Draco and I..."   
"Since when are you on a first-name basis with that scum?" Ron interrupted again.   
"Draco and I are dating," Harry blurted out. His friend gave him a blank stare. "I   
*told* you you didn't want to know."   
"Wha...you..." Ron had turned an interesting shade of pale green.   
"You're joking, right?"   
"I'm not joking."   
"You're not joking...He's...he's not joking..." Ron muttered to no one in particular   
before passing out cold into his eggs.   
"Ron? Ron, are you okay?" Harry asked, shaking him.   
"Oh, he'll be fine. He's just a bit surprised is all," Hermione interjected. "Anyway,   
I think this is just great, you two finally putting aside all your differences and all." She was   
smiling broadly.   
"Thanks. I'm glad *you* think so. RON!"   
~*~*~*~   
Several minutes later, Ron woke up with egg on his face, [sorry, minor BNL   
reference] quite literally. Harry and hermione managed to calm him down and keep him   
from trying to kill Draco, and they all finished breakfast.   
"Come on. let's go," said Harry when they were finished, standing and leading   
them over to the Slytherin table.   
~*~*~*~   
Draco was busy making sure he had everything he needed for his next class when   
he noticed HArry, Ron, and Hermione coming toward his table. He assumed they were   
heading for the door on the other side of it, until Harry leaned over and whispered   
something to Ron that looked suspiciously like, "Be nice."   
Still, when the three of them stopped right next to him, Draco was more than a   
little surprised.   
"Well, come on," said Harry.   
"Huh?"   
"We have Potions together, remember?"   
"Oh. RIght." Draco stood up, took Harry's hand and the four of them walked out   
together.   
"Congratulations," said Hermione quietly to Draco, with a small smile.   
"Um." It was definitely weird having her be so nice to him. "Thangs Gr-  
Hermione."   
Ron was silent.   
"How's he taking it?" Draco whispered to Harry.   
"Better than he was. You should've seen him when I first told him." Harry   
described Ron's reaction at breakfast.   
Draco snorted with laughter. "Are you serious?"   
"Yeah, but don't say anything, okay? He promised to be civil to you if you are to   
him."   
"What fun is that?" Draco pretended to pout for a moment. Harry slapped him   
gently. "Okay, okay, I guess that's fair."   
The four of them arrived in Potions to find Professor Snape stirring something in a   
large cauldron. He looked up from shaking white powder from a jar into the cauldron and   
looked rather surprised to see the four of them together. They were the only ones in the   
class so far. On an impulse, Draco grabbed Harry and kissed him. Ron looked more than   
slightly nauseous, Hermione beamed, and Snape's mouth dropped open as the jar he had   
been holding fell into the potion with a splash.   
Before anyone could react, the potion exploded, spalsing all of them with a yellow   
liquid. The room seemed to spin for a moment, then everything went back to normal. Or   
so it seemed.   
"What...is...going...on...here?" Snape said slowly.   
~*~*~*~   
From the author: That's all for now! I've got a slight problem with Chapter 5, but I don't   
want to give away what happened, so I can't tell you what it is. I'll try to get it up soon. 


	5. CHAPTER 5!!!

Hey, look! After almost two months, it's chapter five! Sorry about the wait, but I just couldn't seem to think of anything. I finally had to force myself to write this. So if it sucks, that's why. (Forcing yourself to write anything is not a good idea. If you want proof, read "The Revenge of Scott Summers." By...me!) Well, that and the fact that my muse is somewhere in a snake's digestive system right about now. Not that I'm complaining, she was never much help anyway. Oh, and sorry so short, chapter six coming soon. I mean it this time :-D SO, here it is...  
  
~*~*~*~  
  
Call And Answer-Chapter Five  
  
~*~*~*~  
  
The room stopped spinning and Harry looked around. The dungeon looked exactly as it had before the potion had exploded. The yellow liquid seemed to have disappeared. Harry wondered what kind of potion it was-well, had been-but he didn't have much time to wonder. Professor Snape was scowling down at them. He opened his mouth as if to say something, then shut it again.  
  
"Never mind. I don't even want to know. Potter, that will be ten points from Gryffindor for ruining today's lesson." Harry's mouth fell open, and a slight smirk appeared on Draco's face until Harry shot him a Look. "Sorry," he muttered. "Habit."  
  
"And Mr. Malfoy," Snape continued, either not noticing this exchange or choosing to ignore it, "I-" he broke off again. "I need to tell Professor Dumbledore what has happened. You four, stay here." He hurried from the room, muttering something about taste.  
  
Once Snape was gone, Draco looked up to find three pairs of eyes on him.  
  
"What?"  
  
"What did you have to do that for?" Ron asked bitterly.  
  
Draco opened his mouth, unsure of exactly what he was going to say. What *had* he been thinking? He had not only made an ass out of himself, he had gotten Harry in trouble, just when it seemed that Harry and his friends were beginning to accept him, and, if Snape was going to talk to Dumbledore, probably caused some sort of disaster. He briefly wondered what might have been in that potion, but there where more pressing things to think about-like an apology that would sound sincere.  
  
"Shut up, Ron."  
  
Draco's mouth dropped open in surprise when he realized it was Harry who had said it. Ron's mouth was behaving similarly.  
  
"So now you're taking *his* side?" he asked in shock. Draco half- listened to them bicker. His mind was still processing the fact that Harry *had* taken his side. That Harry cared enough about him after-had it been only a week?- to defend him to Ron, whom he had known for years.  
  
While this thought swirled through Draco's mind, Hermione crossed the room to the cauldron that Snape had been stirring the potion in, and began to examine the remnants of yellow liquid. Meanwhile, in the hall outside the dungeon...  
  
~*~*~*~  
  
"What's it say?"  
  
There was a crowd of students gathered around a large, handwritten sign that had been hurriedly posted at the entrance to the potions dungeon.  
  
"No potions today," Dean Thomas read. "Wonder why. Not that I'm complaining," he added quickly.  
  
"The dungeon is completely off-limits," Neville Longbottom continued, reading from the bottom of the sign.  
  
"*What* dungeon?" someone shouted. The stone hallway stretched to where the door to the dungeon should have been, but it was not there. Instead the hall stopped abruptly, and when they peered into the space where the dungeon should have been, they could see an empty stone room to the left, an empty stone room to the right, an empty stone room straight ahead*, and a highly surprised charms class peering down a them through a clear ceiling. But there was nothing but empty space. The dungeon simply...wasn't there.  
  
~*~*~*~  
  
"Would you two please SHUT UP!"  
  
Ron and Harry abruptly stopped arguing to stare in surprise at Hermione, whom this request had come from.  
  
"Thank you. I think I've figured out what kind of potion it was that Snape was making.  
  
Everyone was suddenly interested. They had all been wondering about that.  
  
"Well?" Ron asked impatiently.  
  
"It appears to have been an invisibility potion...but..."  
  
"But that doesn't make any sense," Harry interrupted. "I can see you perfectly, and the potion splashed all over you..."  
  
"I know. That's the part I still don't understand. This sort of potion doesn't need to be ingested to work...but I can see you all. Maybe it's because it got on all of us...."  
  
"Try got on the whole dungeon," Ron muttered.  
  
"You mean because we're all invisible, we can all see each other?" Draco asked. The other three jumped at his question, having almost forgotten he was there.  
  
"I think so," Hermione replied. "We'll see when Snape gets back."  
  
*NOTE: Okay, so Hogwarts could be using that space for more classrooms, and Emmie could be using her creativity a little more. But I didn't feel like coming up with three other classes.  
  
Again, sorry so short, chapter six soon. 


	6. Have you seen me lately?

Author's note: Once again, I have to say sorry about the wait (what was it, seven months this time?). For anyone interested in my excuse, I was waiting for a new plot bunny to come hopping along, and then one did, but I put off dealing with it for awhile. It's still nailed to my wall, but it's starting to decay, so I guess it's time to get writing. It should turn up in either this chapter or the next. All I'm saying is I'm going back to the song: "I'm warning you, don't ever do those crazy, messed-up things that you do, if you ever do, I promise you, I'll be the first to crucify you..."To any of you weirdos who have been following this from the beginning (are there actually people who read my stuff religiously? If so, I have two things to say - numbr one, scary! and number two, neat! Leave me a review if you do, my ego could use the boost) thanks, and don't give up on me (I'm about to come alive - er, sorry. Way too much Train for Emmie.)  
  
Disclaimer: They're not mine and I'm broke anyway, so leave me alone.  
  
***  
  
Call and Answer - Chapter 6  
  
***  
  
"This bites," Ron grumbled as he, Harry, Hermione and Draco made their way across the grounds to Care of Magical Creatures. "We're invisible and we still have to go to class..."  
  
"And you had something better to do?" Hermione asked him.  
  
"Well...no...but that isn't the point!" he replied begrudgingly. Harry and Draco met each others' eyes behind Ron and Hermione's backs. Harry was quite certain Draco was thinking along the same lines he was: they could find much better things to do than attending Care of Magical Creatures. Snape, however, had insisted that while there was no way to tell how long the potion would take to wear off, it would not cause any lasting damage and there was no reason for them to miss class. Potions had, of course, been cancelled, as it would have been rather difficult to hold lessons in an invisible dungeon, but by the time everything had been sorted out, it had been nearly time for the next class to start anyway.  
  
They reached Hagrid's hut to find him setting out several large brown crates on the grass. Harry, Ron and Hermione shared a meaningful look as they moved cautiously toward the crates, sure that they probably wouldn't like whatever was inside. The crates, however, were filled not with some new magical creatures but with a very thick, pink, pulpy-looking liquid that smelled quite like rotting fish.   
  
"Ugh," Harry said in disgust. "What *is* that stuff?" Hagrid, who had just been setting down another crate of it, jumped in surprise and some of the pink liquid sloshed onto the grass where it landed with a very heavy *splat*.  
  
"Harry?" Hagrid said, looking around. His eyes finally landed a few feet to Harry's right. "Er...right. Professor Dumbledore's told me all about what happened. Ron, Hermione, you here too?"   
  
"Yeah," they replied together, then Harry added, "And Mal - er, Draco." Hagrid raised his eyebrows and opened his mouth to speak, but Harry didn't feel like explaining at the moment. "So," he asked again, "what's in the crates?"  
  
"Fermented squid entrails," Hagrid replied. Hermione, who had been about to prod the entrails with a finger, snatched her hand back very quickly.  
  
"Uh...what are they for?" Ron asked, eyeing the crate nearest him with even more disgust than before.   
  
"For your new project," Hagrid replied, smiling. Again Harry, Hermione and Ron glanced worriedly at each other. "You're going to be raising - oh, here comes the rest of the class. Might as well wait for them to explain." The rest of the class was indeed headed toward them. Harry saw Parvati and Lavendar, their heads together, giggling over something. Crabbe and Goyle were at the very back of the group, looking rather lost and alone. As the class gathered around the crates of squid guts, eyeing them warily, Harry half expected Draco to go join his friends, but he stayed where he was.   
  
Hagrid began explaining about the new magical creatures that the class was going to be raising as a project - Keghls, creatures that looked something like fish with legs. Their bodies were flat, with two eyes and what appeared to be a small fin on top. Four legs protruded from under the flat bodies, with what could have been either a fifth leg or a fish's tail in the back. The Keghls, Hagrid explained, could live either on land or in water, and they ate - he gestured toward the crates - fermented squid innards. Harry had a nast feeling he knew what was coming next.  
  
"Right," Hagrid said. "Break up into groups of three or four - you three can work on this tank - " he pushed the tank of Keghls he had bean showing the class toward Dean, Seamus and Neville, "and I'll go get the rest. Just lower the squid entrails into the tank, if they like you, they might even eat right out of your hand."  
  
He disappeared around the side of his hut and returned with several more tanks, each containing either three or four Keghls. Ron was watching Seamus dip his hand into one of the crates of innards, which squelched loudly at the touch. "You know," he said quietly, "I've just realized that the best part of being invisible is that no one actually *knows* if you're in class or not..." he started back toward the castle. "You coming?"  
  
"No," Hermione said, selecting a tank with four Keghls, "and neither are you. You heard Snape, the potion could wear off anytime. Now grab some guts and get over here." Making a face, Ron scooped up some of the squid guts and lowered them into the tank, which contained a fairly deep pool of murky water on one side and several moss-covered rocks on the other. One Keghl continued swimming around the tank and Hermione was busy with two others, but the fourth one, a greenish creature with black spots, immediately began sucking the entrails directly from Ron's hand with a mouth that was apparently on the bottom of its flat body. Ron somehow managed to look both rather pleased and extremely disgusted at the same time. Harry was just reaching for a handful himself when Draco leaned over to him.  
  
"You know," he said, grinning, "they're both right. This potion could wear off at any time. But until it does, there's no reason we have to actually *participate* in class..."  
  
"Good point," Harry replied. Dropping the entrails back into the crate with a squish, they moved off to the side, out of the way of the class but close enough that they could still see what was going on. Not that it mattered, because within a few minutes they were so wrapped up in their own little world, they didn't have a clue what was going on around them. So wrapped up, in fact, that they didn't even notice when everything begin to spin around them. Ron and Hermione did, though. Hermione opened her mouth to call out to them, but at that moment, the spinning stopped, and everyone's eyes were immediately directed to the two of them, who seemed to appear out of nowhere, and then to Harry and Draco, who were leaned up against a tree only a few feet away, tongue-wrestling. The few people who could do more than gape in shock broke into giggles, and only then did the two of them come up for air to find everyone in the class staring at them. It took only a second to realize the invisibility potion had worn off at possibly the most unfortunate time possible...  
  
***  
  
Dear lord that was bad! But done! Done is good. Oh, one last thing - 10 points to the House of the first person to spot the song reference in this chapter's title. 


End file.
